• Many Bruins fans were hoping the team would fill an assistant coaching vacancy with former Boston star (and power-play savant) Adam Oates. They got former Avalanche bench boss Joe Sacco instead. I sense a wildly underwhelming level of support for this decision in Beantown.

• Matt Drake offers a look at the undeniable impact, and unfairly tarnished legacy, of all-time great Doug Harvey.

• The Senators want to take care of business ahead of next summer by inking extensions with three pending UFAs, including top-six forward Bobby Ryan. Considering that the short-term prognosis for the team is another playoff DNQ, that won't be an easy deal to consummate. A trade, as opposed to losing Ryan in free agency, might end up being Ottawa's only real option.